By Rick Jackson
Unless it is a comedy like Four Weddings And A Funeral (1994) and Death At A Funeral (2007), death is not a popular theme at the movies. In the case of Get Low, it is more serious with a comic undertone that borders on the sardonic. Written by Chris Provenzano and C. Gaby Mitchell, from a story by Provenzano and Scott Seeke, Robert Duvall plays the more serious role of Felix Bush, a man who wants to have a funeral party while he is still alive. Lucas Black is Buddy, the inexperienced undertaker who doesn't understand Felix's request. When he reports back to his boss, Frank Quinn (Bill Murray) there is no discussion. He calls on him and together the details are worked out.
Duvall is well cast as an irascible old man who is used to getting what he wants. After hearing of an old friend's death, he decides it would be better to hear what people have to say about him now. As you watch him sort out his feelings about his entire life, he is tormented by a fire that happened a long time ago and this is what Rev. Charlie Jackson (Bill Cobbs in an excellent supporting role) wants him to confess his sins because it remains vivid in the memory of anyone who was around back then. He even refuses, at first, to go to the funeral party until Felix changes his mind and, in the process, we all find out about that fateful day. It is a secret that tells a lot and the townsfolk, including Jackson, are relieved that Felix, when he really dies, will go to heaven.
Rather than turn the film into a philosophical discussion about death or religion, the screenwriters serve to tell a home spun story set in the 1930s that is universal and inspired by real events.
Moviegoers used to laughing at death will get the odd one here. It is not that serious but it does manage to gain your empathy because it asks important questions of how prepared you are when it is time for you to die.
Duvall is able to set this tone by injecting a sense of dread underneath his long beard and as he tries to come to terms with his own mortality, it is comforting to know that all of us may be afraid, too. His deeply moving performance stresses this important in such a subtle way, as does Cobbs and Sissy Spacek who plays Mattie, Felix's sister-in-law. She, as always, lends the film with certain credence by being serious about her relationship that burns bright in the present as a pleasant reminder of the past. She adds depth by giving it all a serious edge that doesn't take away the real purpose of Felix's funeral party and from this Felix feels compelled to do something.
Murray, who is usually funny, does have a couple of zingers but he maintains an equal balance of curiosity and deliberation when it comes to the sanctity of his job as an undertaker. From this point, you get to see him as a serious actor apart from his most famous comedic roles in Stripes (19), Ghostbusters (1984) and Groundhog Day (1993).
The utter simplicity of the characters and the integrity of the actors gives Get Low an honourable and respected viewpoint that most films about the same subject do not. It is not meant to be a laugh out-loud comedy like the movie's trailer suggested, but a more dignified and surprising film that deserves your attention.
It is rated PG, with the warning: language may offend.
August 28, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
EVERYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU (1997)****
By Rick Jackson
One of the best times I've had at the movies this year is Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You. He combines music and humour to make an inspiring and nostalgic musical which I orginally thought was going to be a disaster. Instead, it surprised me by the way it touched a sentimental chord with the songs that are given a refreshing new attitude. It helps that they are not performed by professional singers but actors who see themselves as singers. Their spirit of communicating in a different way captures your attention so well, you can't believe it all contributes to your overall enjoyment. The songs include Cuddle Up A Little Closer, My Baby Just Cares For Me, and Makin' Whoopee.
Written and directed by Allen, you welcome the familiar Allenisms and the dysfunctional family which is the focus of the thin story which is dominated by characters who immediately grab your attention, that is, if you don't mind Allen's change of pace.
Allen, once again, plays Joe, another in a long line of characters he has played who are unlucky in love. When his girlfriend, Giselle, leaves him it sets off another one of Allen's personal diagnoses. Rather than communicate his loss through song, he flies to New York where he pleads for help from his friend, Steffi (Goldie Hawn) and her husband Bob (Alan Alda).
Narrated by B.J. (Natasha Lynne), one of Joe's daughters from his marriage to Steffi, Joe decides to join her in Venice to see if he can find true love. After going into a local restaurant she sees the beautiful Von (Julia Roberts) who is happily married.
Since he was privy to private knowledge because one of D.J.'s best friends went to Von's therapist, you get to see some interesting comic situations. You'll love every minute.
While you watch them, you are introduced to Holden (Edward Norton) who buys Skylar (Drew Barrymore) an engagement ring which she accidentally swallows. Another character, Charles Ferry enters the scene as a prisoner who has been released from prison and has come to steal Skylar's heart.
Allen switches the story to Paris where there is a romantic sequence with Joe and Steffi, and inevitably, they fall in love just like they do in the movies. They end up going to a party where everyone is dressed up like Groucho Marx.
Reminiscent of the old Warner musicals of the 1930s, the mood of the film is one of make believe, except this is an elaborate fairy tale for adults. Allen's interpretation includes the brevity and excitement of the screwball comedies from the same decade as you watch insults hurled at each character with the charm and witty repartee typical of Mr. Allen.
Everyone Says I Love You is a gem that you cannot afford to miss.
February 26, 1997
Copyright Rick Jackson 1997
One of the best times I've had at the movies this year is Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You. He combines music and humour to make an inspiring and nostalgic musical which I orginally thought was going to be a disaster. Instead, it surprised me by the way it touched a sentimental chord with the songs that are given a refreshing new attitude. It helps that they are not performed by professional singers but actors who see themselves as singers. Their spirit of communicating in a different way captures your attention so well, you can't believe it all contributes to your overall enjoyment. The songs include Cuddle Up A Little Closer, My Baby Just Cares For Me, and Makin' Whoopee.
Written and directed by Allen, you welcome the familiar Allenisms and the dysfunctional family which is the focus of the thin story which is dominated by characters who immediately grab your attention, that is, if you don't mind Allen's change of pace.
Allen, once again, plays Joe, another in a long line of characters he has played who are unlucky in love. When his girlfriend, Giselle, leaves him it sets off another one of Allen's personal diagnoses. Rather than communicate his loss through song, he flies to New York where he pleads for help from his friend, Steffi (Goldie Hawn) and her husband Bob (Alan Alda).
Narrated by B.J. (Natasha Lynne), one of Joe's daughters from his marriage to Steffi, Joe decides to join her in Venice to see if he can find true love. After going into a local restaurant she sees the beautiful Von (Julia Roberts) who is happily married.
Since he was privy to private knowledge because one of D.J.'s best friends went to Von's therapist, you get to see some interesting comic situations. You'll love every minute.
While you watch them, you are introduced to Holden (Edward Norton) who buys Skylar (Drew Barrymore) an engagement ring which she accidentally swallows. Another character, Charles Ferry enters the scene as a prisoner who has been released from prison and has come to steal Skylar's heart.
Allen switches the story to Paris where there is a romantic sequence with Joe and Steffi, and inevitably, they fall in love just like they do in the movies. They end up going to a party where everyone is dressed up like Groucho Marx.
Reminiscent of the old Warner musicals of the 1930s, the mood of the film is one of make believe, except this is an elaborate fairy tale for adults. Allen's interpretation includes the brevity and excitement of the screwball comedies from the same decade as you watch insults hurled at each character with the charm and witty repartee typical of Mr. Allen.
Everyone Says I Love You is a gem that you cannot afford to miss.
February 26, 1997
Copyright Rick Jackson 1997
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
THE ENGLISH PATIENT (MIRAMAX, 1996)****
By Rick Jackson
Written and directed by Anthony Minghella, The English Patient is an unforgettable love story that will remind you of David Lean's 1965 classic, Dr. Zhivago in its scope and depth of storytelling in flashback, and the plot parallels in the present which add to the mystery of the central character Almasy, and his fate which hold your attention to the very end of the film.
What immediately captures your attention is John Seale's exquisite cinematography which, albeit, is familiar terrain for this epic, is understandably breathtaking from the heat of the desert and the sandstorm sequence. The luminous night scenes are bright and vivid in the past to the drab surroundings of the empty farmhouse in the present.
Opening in 1944, it returns to the late 1930s and early 1940s leading up to the narrative in the present which is nicely edited together with visual rhythm so as not to be too incongruous to follow.
Ralph Fiennes is perfectly cast as Count Laszlo Almasy, whose handsome features once were part of his dazzling handsome self in flashback, but now he is a burn victim whose wounds on his face cause him to remember things as they once were. Amid the memories in the present he is in a tortuous state and the pain forces him to recall the events you begin to see via flashback. He is the English patient of the film's title, although he is actually Hungarian. Fiennes brings to his character in the past a sense of mystery and intrigue as he becomes intoxicated by the beauty of Katherine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas), an Englishwoman whose sexual appetite has been supressed by his adventuresome husband Geoffrey (Colin Firth). When he admits to his wife's affair with Almasy, it becomes an amusing paradox of obsession for Geoffrey lacks the courage of his convictions. When he finally gets the nerve to do something about it, it is a fateful escape from which he and his wife will not recover. However, it does make for an interesting twist a la Anna Karenina which another character Madox (Julian Wadham) compares to Almasy's illicit affair. Thinking back to that moment, you are not prepared for the inevitable tragedy because you are absorbed in the story too much to notice. As with all tragic endings f this type, your empathy bridges the gap between familiarity and fate and, like all good stories you must accept the outcome.
For most of the time, Thomas plays the didactic wife of the elegant playboy (Amasy in the past) with such precision, you are easily swept up in the romanticism of her tryst. Her alluring beauty is at first kept at a distance to convey her she is married until the time comes to break away from her marital bliss which is, at best, not as polished as the written description in Minghella'a screen treatment. It somehow isn't as strongly convincing like it should.
In the present, there is the dutiful female soldier Hanna, well played by Juliette Binoche. She, too, is beautiful to look at. Yet she imbues her character with a more profound love that is more genuine, and her courageous instinct for survival in wartime serves her well. Her sexual encounter with a sick foreign soldier named Kip (Naveen Andrecos) is more a progression of sexual desire to be loved. Binoche conveys her role as a nice girl whose outgoing personality rewards her with more than just the superficial flings. Although they are short, it provides the story with the necessary diversions from the serious romance between Almasy and Clifton which is of greater importance to the plot.
Willem Dafoe gives one of his best supporting performances as a Canadian whose range of occupations is explained early on. He strikes a commanding repose which, at first, becomes apparent until the reason for him being there becomes clear, and the actor does it all with playful intrigue.
Editor Walter Murch keeps the action well paced with help from the director's script with its sparing use of description which only adds to the overall atmosphere in both time frames.
Complimented by Gabriel Yareal's moving music score, The English Patient is an intricate and handsome epic.
It is rated AA/Adult Accompaniment, with the warnings: violence and not recommended for children.
November 15, 1996
Copyright Rick Jackson 1996
Written and directed by Anthony Minghella, The English Patient is an unforgettable love story that will remind you of David Lean's 1965 classic, Dr. Zhivago in its scope and depth of storytelling in flashback, and the plot parallels in the present which add to the mystery of the central character Almasy, and his fate which hold your attention to the very end of the film.
What immediately captures your attention is John Seale's exquisite cinematography which, albeit, is familiar terrain for this epic, is understandably breathtaking from the heat of the desert and the sandstorm sequence. The luminous night scenes are bright and vivid in the past to the drab surroundings of the empty farmhouse in the present.
Opening in 1944, it returns to the late 1930s and early 1940s leading up to the narrative in the present which is nicely edited together with visual rhythm so as not to be too incongruous to follow.
Ralph Fiennes is perfectly cast as Count Laszlo Almasy, whose handsome features once were part of his dazzling handsome self in flashback, but now he is a burn victim whose wounds on his face cause him to remember things as they once were. Amid the memories in the present he is in a tortuous state and the pain forces him to recall the events you begin to see via flashback. He is the English patient of the film's title, although he is actually Hungarian. Fiennes brings to his character in the past a sense of mystery and intrigue as he becomes intoxicated by the beauty of Katherine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas), an Englishwoman whose sexual appetite has been supressed by his adventuresome husband Geoffrey (Colin Firth). When he admits to his wife's affair with Almasy, it becomes an amusing paradox of obsession for Geoffrey lacks the courage of his convictions. When he finally gets the nerve to do something about it, it is a fateful escape from which he and his wife will not recover. However, it does make for an interesting twist a la Anna Karenina which another character Madox (Julian Wadham) compares to Almasy's illicit affair. Thinking back to that moment, you are not prepared for the inevitable tragedy because you are absorbed in the story too much to notice. As with all tragic endings f this type, your empathy bridges the gap between familiarity and fate and, like all good stories you must accept the outcome.
For most of the time, Thomas plays the didactic wife of the elegant playboy (Amasy in the past) with such precision, you are easily swept up in the romanticism of her tryst. Her alluring beauty is at first kept at a distance to convey her she is married until the time comes to break away from her marital bliss which is, at best, not as polished as the written description in Minghella'a screen treatment. It somehow isn't as strongly convincing like it should.
In the present, there is the dutiful female soldier Hanna, well played by Juliette Binoche. She, too, is beautiful to look at. Yet she imbues her character with a more profound love that is more genuine, and her courageous instinct for survival in wartime serves her well. Her sexual encounter with a sick foreign soldier named Kip (Naveen Andrecos) is more a progression of sexual desire to be loved. Binoche conveys her role as a nice girl whose outgoing personality rewards her with more than just the superficial flings. Although they are short, it provides the story with the necessary diversions from the serious romance between Almasy and Clifton which is of greater importance to the plot.
Willem Dafoe gives one of his best supporting performances as a Canadian whose range of occupations is explained early on. He strikes a commanding repose which, at first, becomes apparent until the reason for him being there becomes clear, and the actor does it all with playful intrigue.
Editor Walter Murch keeps the action well paced with help from the director's script with its sparing use of description which only adds to the overall atmosphere in both time frames.
Complimented by Gabriel Yareal's moving music score, The English Patient is an intricate and handsome epic.
It is rated AA/Adult Accompaniment, with the warnings: violence and not recommended for children.
November 15, 1996
Copyright Rick Jackson 1996
THE EXPENDABLES (MAPLE, 2010)*
By Rick Jackson
The Expendables is supposed to be a great action picture because of its cast of muscular toned heavyweights who have made themselves famous in other movies. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to expectations, despite the fact it was number one at the box office in its first week.
Directed, co-written and co-starring Sylvester Stallone there is litle to praise for its basic premise other than a vehicle to bring the main cast together in a story that doesn't have a decent storyline that makes sense. We don't know any more about them at the end than we did at the beginning. It has more in common with The Losers earlier this year, and nothing at all with director John Ford's 1945 classic war film, They Were Expendable which is, by far, a much superior film.
To be fair, The Expendables does deliver enough action to satisfy your weekly fix, and there is a conclusion that will help you forget much of what precedes it. I only wished it was something impressive with a better developed plot that didn't go on forever in an endless stream of aimless and pointless twists and turns. Its lack of cohesion and connection among the characters is built on the idea that beating people up for fun is entertainment. There is nothing here to make these individuals stand out as a tactical force to be reckoned. All you can do is to assume why and make up the rest as you watch it all unfold. Had Stallone and David Callaham given more thought it might have made more sense and worth lining up to see. Even Arnold Shwarzenegger's return to the screen in a cameo is as predictable as the entire film.
The auspicious opening is a meeting of mercenaries played by Stallone, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li on a mission which is supposed to rescue a jungle princess named Sandra (Giselle Itie) from the clutches of a greedy revolutionary (Eric Roberts) who you learn has little control because of his poor leadership skills, although he can fire a weapon when he isn't trying to talk himself in and out of trouble.
As you continue to watch the gang do their schtick, you can't help shake your head at one of them who is betrayed for no apparent reason than to prolong the plot in its thankless and twisted of fun and action which is consistent in being one big cartoon for adults.
Jason Statham is here to add solidarity to the proceedings but even his prescient abilities get lost like the others: Mickey Rourke, Steve Austin, Randy Couture and Terry Crews. When you add all of them together, this is hardly a magnificent or elite group of anything.
When it comes right down to it, this film is shocking disappointment which won't improve when it comes out on DVD and Blu-Ray. When the entire cast gets more enjoyment than you do, it's time to see something else. Not even a good soundtrack featuring Mountain ("Mississippi Queen"), Thin Lizzy ("The Boys Are Back In Town," and Creedence Clearwater Revival ("Born On The Bayou") can salvage The Expendables from being one of the year's worst.
It is rated 18A, with the warnings: brutal violence and xoarse language.
August 22, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
The Expendables is supposed to be a great action picture because of its cast of muscular toned heavyweights who have made themselves famous in other movies. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to expectations, despite the fact it was number one at the box office in its first week.
Directed, co-written and co-starring Sylvester Stallone there is litle to praise for its basic premise other than a vehicle to bring the main cast together in a story that doesn't have a decent storyline that makes sense. We don't know any more about them at the end than we did at the beginning. It has more in common with The Losers earlier this year, and nothing at all with director John Ford's 1945 classic war film, They Were Expendable which is, by far, a much superior film.
To be fair, The Expendables does deliver enough action to satisfy your weekly fix, and there is a conclusion that will help you forget much of what precedes it. I only wished it was something impressive with a better developed plot that didn't go on forever in an endless stream of aimless and pointless twists and turns. Its lack of cohesion and connection among the characters is built on the idea that beating people up for fun is entertainment. There is nothing here to make these individuals stand out as a tactical force to be reckoned. All you can do is to assume why and make up the rest as you watch it all unfold. Had Stallone and David Callaham given more thought it might have made more sense and worth lining up to see. Even Arnold Shwarzenegger's return to the screen in a cameo is as predictable as the entire film.
The auspicious opening is a meeting of mercenaries played by Stallone, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li on a mission which is supposed to rescue a jungle princess named Sandra (Giselle Itie) from the clutches of a greedy revolutionary (Eric Roberts) who you learn has little control because of his poor leadership skills, although he can fire a weapon when he isn't trying to talk himself in and out of trouble.
As you continue to watch the gang do their schtick, you can't help shake your head at one of them who is betrayed for no apparent reason than to prolong the plot in its thankless and twisted of fun and action which is consistent in being one big cartoon for adults.
Jason Statham is here to add solidarity to the proceedings but even his prescient abilities get lost like the others: Mickey Rourke, Steve Austin, Randy Couture and Terry Crews. When you add all of them together, this is hardly a magnificent or elite group of anything.
When it comes right down to it, this film is shocking disappointment which won't improve when it comes out on DVD and Blu-Ray. When the entire cast gets more enjoyment than you do, it's time to see something else. Not even a good soundtrack featuring Mountain ("Mississippi Queen"), Thin Lizzy ("The Boys Are Back In Town," and Creedence Clearwater Revival ("Born On The Bayou") can salvage The Expendables from being one of the year's worst.
It is rated 18A, with the warnings: brutal violence and xoarse language.
August 22, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
WINTER'S BONE (MAPLE, 2010)****
By Rick Jackson
Winter's Bone is a minor masterwork of American Cinema. Like Frozen River (2008), it is an independent film that challenges the individual moviegoer to be patient in order to figure out what it is all about. Based on the novel by Daniel Woodrell, the screenplay by Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini hasn't any loud music score, car chases or sexual content but it does have an intriguing story to capture your attention. Director Granik wants you to keep focused on this small community which has been disturbed by the disappearance of a father who we are told had to be in court but never made it. Apart from the obvious repercussions, you want to know what happened to him just like his oldest child Ree (Jennifer Lawrence) whose tenacity and ambition goes beyond the average resident in this sleepy old town. She also cares about her little brother. Her outspoken behaviour has its consequences and it only makes you empathize for her as her unyielding attitude makes her stand out above the other residents.
When you learn that her father Jessup was a drug dealer and there may have been a connection with drugs and the law even if it is unclear. The conflicts that come up derive from the outside influences you are slowly introduced and despite any inconsistencies in the script, it is Lawrence's determination and conviction to search for her father that leaves hope for him to be found. You are told where he is without the reason why and it creates more of the mysterious circumstances that surround Jessup. When you piece together what you hear from the minor characters, it does make sense that he was killed as a result of a drug related issue as a cold reminder of how a story like this is universal even in this remote community.
As you think about Ree's father, you meet his bearded brother, Teardrop (John Hawkes) whose temperament and lack of conversational skills make him a dead giveaway that he may have been involved in his brother's disappearance. You just don't know. The director doesn't think it's important to reveal this or any other details. The sparse wilderness that surrounds the community underscores the fervent scarcity of an existence you don't often see in the movies because it is never pleasant and, for this reason, the movie's title symbolizes anything bleak or dead. Ree does her best to leave it all behind her by trying to enlist in the armed forces until the recruiting officer persuades her to re-think her reasons for joining. This sequence speaks volumes as to the attempts at survival, which may be another clue why Jessup was killed.
Winter's Bone does point to those individuals who are willing to help those in need and you get to see this, too. Less profound than it should be, it remains undeniably powerful as a dramatic piece of fiction on the big screen.
It is rated 14A, with the warnings: substance abuse and coarse language.
August 20, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
Winter's Bone is a minor masterwork of American Cinema. Like Frozen River (2008), it is an independent film that challenges the individual moviegoer to be patient in order to figure out what it is all about. Based on the novel by Daniel Woodrell, the screenplay by Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini hasn't any loud music score, car chases or sexual content but it does have an intriguing story to capture your attention. Director Granik wants you to keep focused on this small community which has been disturbed by the disappearance of a father who we are told had to be in court but never made it. Apart from the obvious repercussions, you want to know what happened to him just like his oldest child Ree (Jennifer Lawrence) whose tenacity and ambition goes beyond the average resident in this sleepy old town. She also cares about her little brother. Her outspoken behaviour has its consequences and it only makes you empathize for her as her unyielding attitude makes her stand out above the other residents.
When you learn that her father Jessup was a drug dealer and there may have been a connection with drugs and the law even if it is unclear. The conflicts that come up derive from the outside influences you are slowly introduced and despite any inconsistencies in the script, it is Lawrence's determination and conviction to search for her father that leaves hope for him to be found. You are told where he is without the reason why and it creates more of the mysterious circumstances that surround Jessup. When you piece together what you hear from the minor characters, it does make sense that he was killed as a result of a drug related issue as a cold reminder of how a story like this is universal even in this remote community.
As you think about Ree's father, you meet his bearded brother, Teardrop (John Hawkes) whose temperament and lack of conversational skills make him a dead giveaway that he may have been involved in his brother's disappearance. You just don't know. The director doesn't think it's important to reveal this or any other details. The sparse wilderness that surrounds the community underscores the fervent scarcity of an existence you don't often see in the movies because it is never pleasant and, for this reason, the movie's title symbolizes anything bleak or dead. Ree does her best to leave it all behind her by trying to enlist in the armed forces until the recruiting officer persuades her to re-think her reasons for joining. This sequence speaks volumes as to the attempts at survival, which may be another clue why Jessup was killed.
Winter's Bone does point to those individuals who are willing to help those in need and you get to see this, too. Less profound than it should be, it remains undeniably powerful as a dramatic piece of fiction on the big screen.
It is rated 14A, with the warnings: substance abuse and coarse language.
August 20, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (ALLIANCE, 2010)****
By Rick Jackson
The Kids Are All Right is director Lisa Cholodenko's look at the non-traditional family. It is an incisive and entertaining character study of two women who used the same male sperm from Paul (Mark Ruffalo in a fine supporting role). This is not a gay film, although the two main characters, Jules and Nic (Julianne Moore and Annette Bening) are lesbians. Their two children are Laser (Josh Hutcherson) and Joni (Mia Wasikowska). The family scenes with and without Paul let you share in their fun and laughter and it engenders a lighter tone than you might expect, especially when Jules and Nic start reminiscing about their favourite music and start singing All I Want from Joni Mitchell's 1971 album, Blue. Apart from being perfectly timed, it conveys an approval of sanity and order that resonates with your sensibility should you be offended by Jules and Nic who let it loose and enjoy themselves. The parents, as you will soon see, are responsible adults and they keep a close rein on their two children. You also realize as you continue to watch and listen to all of the characters that they are people and they have created a positive and caring environment for Laser and Joni and, as a result, they are able to grow up as ordinary teenagers like the others in their neighbourhood. Joni, for example, is enrolled in university which is not uncommon for anyone her age. All of this exemplifies the film's title to maintain some kind of normalcy and you can't argue about it.
The curiosity and psychology Moore and Bening bring to their portrayals as the maternal influences on their children serve to illuminate what other directors like Spike Lee and Todd Haynes have been doing to go beyond the mainstream. Cholodenko patiently asks you to understand with guarded consistency of thought to consider the possibilities of looking at the world differently. Her cameras zoom in on these five people by focusing on their travails, hopes and dreams and, in turn, contribute to another normal lifestyle that is acceptable to them because they desire to live it and, thankfully, society has not interfered within the limits created in the screenplay by Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg.
You will be surprised and moved by this heartfelt and courageous film. Don't miss it.
It is rated 18A, with the warnings: substance abuse, sexual content and coarse language.
August 18, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
The Kids Are All Right is director Lisa Cholodenko's look at the non-traditional family. It is an incisive and entertaining character study of two women who used the same male sperm from Paul (Mark Ruffalo in a fine supporting role). This is not a gay film, although the two main characters, Jules and Nic (Julianne Moore and Annette Bening) are lesbians. Their two children are Laser (Josh Hutcherson) and Joni (Mia Wasikowska). The family scenes with and without Paul let you share in their fun and laughter and it engenders a lighter tone than you might expect, especially when Jules and Nic start reminiscing about their favourite music and start singing All I Want from Joni Mitchell's 1971 album, Blue. Apart from being perfectly timed, it conveys an approval of sanity and order that resonates with your sensibility should you be offended by Jules and Nic who let it loose and enjoy themselves. The parents, as you will soon see, are responsible adults and they keep a close rein on their two children. You also realize as you continue to watch and listen to all of the characters that they are people and they have created a positive and caring environment for Laser and Joni and, as a result, they are able to grow up as ordinary teenagers like the others in their neighbourhood. Joni, for example, is enrolled in university which is not uncommon for anyone her age. All of this exemplifies the film's title to maintain some kind of normalcy and you can't argue about it.
The curiosity and psychology Moore and Bening bring to their portrayals as the maternal influences on their children serve to illuminate what other directors like Spike Lee and Todd Haynes have been doing to go beyond the mainstream. Cholodenko patiently asks you to understand with guarded consistency of thought to consider the possibilities of looking at the world differently. Her cameras zoom in on these five people by focusing on their travails, hopes and dreams and, in turn, contribute to another normal lifestyle that is acceptable to them because they desire to live it and, thankfully, society has not interfered within the limits created in the screenplay by Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg.
You will be surprised and moved by this heartfelt and courageous film. Don't miss it.
It is rated 18A, with the warnings: substance abuse, sexual content and coarse language.
August 18, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
EAT PRAY LOVE (COLUMBIA, 2010)****
By Rick Jackson
Based on the best selling memoir of the same name by Elizabeth Gilbert, the film adaptation by screenwriters Ryan Murphy and Jennifer Salt have turned it into an epic tale of a young girl's search to find herself in the hope of finding a balance of body, mind and spirit. It is a journey that reminded me of such classic films as Roman Holiday (1953) in which Audrey Hepburn plays a princess who wants to see how the common people live and ends up falling in love with journalist Gregory Peck, and Summertime (1955), starring Katherine Hepburn as a woman who is out to find an answer to her loneliness and passion, only to find it in the arms of a married man played by Rossano Brazzi. Another film, The Razor's Edge (1946) based on the Somerset Maugham best seller, staring Tyrone Power as a soldier returning home to Chicago and going on a quest for spiritual peace. However, Gilbert's book is about a woman, not a man.
In Eat, Pray, Love, Julia Roberts plays the real-life author and whose voice-over narration sets the stage for her trip. She first meets Ketut (Hadi Subiyanto) who gives her a special gift in remembrance of her visit to India and which plays an important part later in the film. He gives the story a welcome presence of familiarity as if it is all like Shangri-La from James Hilton's novel, Lost Horizon, which was adapted to the screen in 1937 by Frank Capra. There is a sense of magic and mirth as Ketut tells Gilbert how she will spend the rest of her life. It is all comforting to her but there lies an element of mystery and excitement which you will obviously get to see when she leaves for Italy where she connects with their culinary lifestyle. Food becomes a substitute for sex which is the furthest thing from her mind.
While in Italy she meets David (James Franco) and she finds romance, however briefly and unfulfilled. From there Gilbert goes to an ashram in India and, again, meets someone else, a bearded Texan named Richard, played by an unrecognizable Richard Jenkins (The Visitor). He nicknames her "Groceries" and supplies much of the plot's morality and levity. He and Ketut add an undercurrent of humour that enables you to enjoy this trip and, thereby, contributes to your interest as a thought provoking drama.
Subiyanto, whom Gilbert calls her Yoda, adds a lot of fun and you wait to see what he is going to say next.
Elizabeth then goes to Bali and this time around she finds the balance she needs to sustain her life and it comes from yet another man, Felipe (Javier Bardem) who works there. You are moved by his gentle and persuasive demeanor that conveys both honesty and sincerity. His charm, sense of humour and tact when talking to Gilbert makes the entire come alive in the final half-hour because the screenwriters allow them to interact to the point where the film's title begins to make sense after two hours. It also holds your attention as you patiently wait to see where it is all going.
The time-shared innocence and lust develops into something almost magical as Gilbert realizes just what it means to finally feel like a woman. It is, arguably, something she fears the most and, at the right moment and time, she knows just how much Felipe means to her. Her understanding and balance of body, mind and spirit meld together by the way Roberts makes her character smile. This is one of her strongest roles and her performance will leave an indelible mark because she is Julia Roberts. Like both Hepburns, she portrays Gilbert with utter innocence and an adventurous spirit that are in keeping with her real-life counterpart.
The real Elisabeth Gilbert was hospitalized with a heart ailment the day before the film opened nationally on August 13, 2010. The real Kutut became a celebrity in the village of Ubud in 2006 when the book came out, while Bali has become a popular tourist attraction.
Under Murphy's solid direction, Eat Pray Love is well paced and you are guaranteed a good time. I was very impressed.
It is rated PG, with the warnings: mature theme and language may offend.
August 15, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
Based on the best selling memoir of the same name by Elizabeth Gilbert, the film adaptation by screenwriters Ryan Murphy and Jennifer Salt have turned it into an epic tale of a young girl's search to find herself in the hope of finding a balance of body, mind and spirit. It is a journey that reminded me of such classic films as Roman Holiday (1953) in which Audrey Hepburn plays a princess who wants to see how the common people live and ends up falling in love with journalist Gregory Peck, and Summertime (1955), starring Katherine Hepburn as a woman who is out to find an answer to her loneliness and passion, only to find it in the arms of a married man played by Rossano Brazzi. Another film, The Razor's Edge (1946) based on the Somerset Maugham best seller, staring Tyrone Power as a soldier returning home to Chicago and going on a quest for spiritual peace. However, Gilbert's book is about a woman, not a man.
In Eat, Pray, Love, Julia Roberts plays the real-life author and whose voice-over narration sets the stage for her trip. She first meets Ketut (Hadi Subiyanto) who gives her a special gift in remembrance of her visit to India and which plays an important part later in the film. He gives the story a welcome presence of familiarity as if it is all like Shangri-La from James Hilton's novel, Lost Horizon, which was adapted to the screen in 1937 by Frank Capra. There is a sense of magic and mirth as Ketut tells Gilbert how she will spend the rest of her life. It is all comforting to her but there lies an element of mystery and excitement which you will obviously get to see when she leaves for Italy where she connects with their culinary lifestyle. Food becomes a substitute for sex which is the furthest thing from her mind.
While in Italy she meets David (James Franco) and she finds romance, however briefly and unfulfilled. From there Gilbert goes to an ashram in India and, again, meets someone else, a bearded Texan named Richard, played by an unrecognizable Richard Jenkins (The Visitor). He nicknames her "Groceries" and supplies much of the plot's morality and levity. He and Ketut add an undercurrent of humour that enables you to enjoy this trip and, thereby, contributes to your interest as a thought provoking drama.
Subiyanto, whom Gilbert calls her Yoda, adds a lot of fun and you wait to see what he is going to say next.
Elizabeth then goes to Bali and this time around she finds the balance she needs to sustain her life and it comes from yet another man, Felipe (Javier Bardem) who works there. You are moved by his gentle and persuasive demeanor that conveys both honesty and sincerity. His charm, sense of humour and tact when talking to Gilbert makes the entire come alive in the final half-hour because the screenwriters allow them to interact to the point where the film's title begins to make sense after two hours. It also holds your attention as you patiently wait to see where it is all going.
The time-shared innocence and lust develops into something almost magical as Gilbert realizes just what it means to finally feel like a woman. It is, arguably, something she fears the most and, at the right moment and time, she knows just how much Felipe means to her. Her understanding and balance of body, mind and spirit meld together by the way Roberts makes her character smile. This is one of her strongest roles and her performance will leave an indelible mark because she is Julia Roberts. Like both Hepburns, she portrays Gilbert with utter innocence and an adventurous spirit that are in keeping with her real-life counterpart.
The real Elisabeth Gilbert was hospitalized with a heart ailment the day before the film opened nationally on August 13, 2010. The real Kutut became a celebrity in the village of Ubud in 2006 when the book came out, while Bali has become a popular tourist attraction.
Under Murphy's solid direction, Eat Pray Love is well paced and you are guaranteed a good time. I was very impressed.
It is rated PG, with the warnings: mature theme and language may offend.
August 15, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
ME AND ORSON WELLES (E1, 2008)****
by Rick Jackson
One of the most anticipated movies for this film critic is director Richard Linklater's Me And Orson Welles. As a huge fan of Welles' work as both actor and director, it is a complete joy and a nice surprise to sit through this film which took a long time to be released due to distribution problems. After it made its national premiere at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival, it has been opening gradually across Canada.
Set in 1937 in New York, it stars Zac Efron as Richard Samuels, a stage director whose stage experience allowed him the opportunity to meet Orson Welles who was putting on a stage production of Julius Caesar which actually opened, according to Norman Lloyd's reminiscence in the January 2010 issue of Sight And Sound, the international film magazine.
Based on Robert Kaplow's novel in which is recounted the triumphant and troubled Shakespearean production, the film shows Welles in his early years when his ambition and genius gave a portrait of the man who eventually scared film studios because everyone who met Welles was intimidated by his towering presence. In Me And Orson Welles, Christian McKay plays Welles with an equal sense of authority and temperament that made him famous, especially after reading Barbara Leaming's excellent 1985 biography. As you watch McKay, he literally brings Welles back to life as he parades around the stage in much the same way he had to have done to become the man recognized as so brilliant after he made Citizen Kane (1941), and went on to do The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), The Lady From Shanghai (1948), and The Third Man (1949).
Hanging on to his every word and in the same tone and inflection, McKay personifies Welles to the point where you can't wait to see where he is going to take him and to what levels of inspiration he is going to impress you and the others who were surrounded by him in awe of a man who demanded to be heard and understood at all times.
Efron's naivete and shyness in the presence of Welles represents how one must have really felt in his presence. After bluffing his way on stage to meet him, Samuels wants to be a part of the Mercury stage production of Julius Caesar. It is there he meets Sonja Jones (Claire Danes), Welles' ambitious, young and beautiful assistant. Standing not too far away is Joseph Cotten (James Tupper) who has eyes on her, too.
What happens is the eventual meeting of the minds with producer John Houseman (Eddie Marsan), leading man George Coulouris (Ben Chaplin) and Welles. Their egos spark the excitement of something important going on behind the scenes when they start talking and whispering with such delight, you can't wait to see the end result.
How well Welles worked on stage is evident by McKay as a dead ringer for Orson. Linklater lets his cast have fun interacting in a professional and fun loving way that even if you aren't a fan of Welles, you will be ready to praise the man and his genius.
Cinematographer Dick Pope makes extensive long shots and closeups to give you a good idea of how much McKay is like Orson Welles.
In their screenplay, Holly Gent and Vince Palmo appreciate Welles enough to add in references to two of his films such as pages of script from Booth Tarkington's Magnificent Ambersons, which was inspired by Welles' father.
Me And Orson Welles boasts not only a recreation of the period but a spirited and wonderful time when moviemaking had to be what it has meant to movie buffs who idolized their heroes on the big screen. McKay's portrayal of Welles as the young debonair genius can be seen in the supporting cast, notably Danes, Zoe Kazan as Greta Adler, and Kelly Reilly as Muriel Brassler.
Fans who love the 1930s will also love the music performed by James Langton and his Solid Senders, and Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.
As the film ends with the triumphant cry of "How do I top this?", you know where Welles went after his 1937 production of Julius Caesar and the body of work he did to become the legendary figure of American Cinema he has been studied and appreciated ever since.
It is rated PG/Parental Guidance, with the warnings: mature theme and language may offend.
February 13, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
One of the most anticipated movies for this film critic is director Richard Linklater's Me And Orson Welles. As a huge fan of Welles' work as both actor and director, it is a complete joy and a nice surprise to sit through this film which took a long time to be released due to distribution problems. After it made its national premiere at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival, it has been opening gradually across Canada.
Set in 1937 in New York, it stars Zac Efron as Richard Samuels, a stage director whose stage experience allowed him the opportunity to meet Orson Welles who was putting on a stage production of Julius Caesar which actually opened, according to Norman Lloyd's reminiscence in the January 2010 issue of Sight And Sound, the international film magazine.
Based on Robert Kaplow's novel in which is recounted the triumphant and troubled Shakespearean production, the film shows Welles in his early years when his ambition and genius gave a portrait of the man who eventually scared film studios because everyone who met Welles was intimidated by his towering presence. In Me And Orson Welles, Christian McKay plays Welles with an equal sense of authority and temperament that made him famous, especially after reading Barbara Leaming's excellent 1985 biography. As you watch McKay, he literally brings Welles back to life as he parades around the stage in much the same way he had to have done to become the man recognized as so brilliant after he made Citizen Kane (1941), and went on to do The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), The Lady From Shanghai (1948), and The Third Man (1949).
Hanging on to his every word and in the same tone and inflection, McKay personifies Welles to the point where you can't wait to see where he is going to take him and to what levels of inspiration he is going to impress you and the others who were surrounded by him in awe of a man who demanded to be heard and understood at all times.
Efron's naivete and shyness in the presence of Welles represents how one must have really felt in his presence. After bluffing his way on stage to meet him, Samuels wants to be a part of the Mercury stage production of Julius Caesar. It is there he meets Sonja Jones (Claire Danes), Welles' ambitious, young and beautiful assistant. Standing not too far away is Joseph Cotten (James Tupper) who has eyes on her, too.
What happens is the eventual meeting of the minds with producer John Houseman (Eddie Marsan), leading man George Coulouris (Ben Chaplin) and Welles. Their egos spark the excitement of something important going on behind the scenes when they start talking and whispering with such delight, you can't wait to see the end result.
How well Welles worked on stage is evident by McKay as a dead ringer for Orson. Linklater lets his cast have fun interacting in a professional and fun loving way that even if you aren't a fan of Welles, you will be ready to praise the man and his genius.
Cinematographer Dick Pope makes extensive long shots and closeups to give you a good idea of how much McKay is like Orson Welles.
In their screenplay, Holly Gent and Vince Palmo appreciate Welles enough to add in references to two of his films such as pages of script from Booth Tarkington's Magnificent Ambersons, which was inspired by Welles' father.
Me And Orson Welles boasts not only a recreation of the period but a spirited and wonderful time when moviemaking had to be what it has meant to movie buffs who idolized their heroes on the big screen. McKay's portrayal of Welles as the young debonair genius can be seen in the supporting cast, notably Danes, Zoe Kazan as Greta Adler, and Kelly Reilly as Muriel Brassler.
Fans who love the 1930s will also love the music performed by James Langton and his Solid Senders, and Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.
As the film ends with the triumphant cry of "How do I top this?", you know where Welles went after his 1937 production of Julius Caesar and the body of work he did to become the legendary figure of American Cinema he has been studied and appreciated ever since.
It is rated PG/Parental Guidance, with the warnings: mature theme and language may offend.
February 13, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
CHARLIE ST. CLOUD (UNIVERSAL, 2010)****
By Rick Jackson
In Charlie St. Cloud, Sam says to his older brother, Charlie: You can hear me because you're alive."
What resonates throughout the film is the basic concept of living your life in the present positively and understanding how change can affect it. This is the central theme in Guy Pearce's adaptation of the 2004 best selling novel by Ben Sherwood who is also one of the film's producers.
Burr Steers directs each scene with a touch of poignancy and understanding as you watch this simply told tale of the relationship between two brothers unfold, and there is something so down to earth, it is not hard to identify with the two main characters as they continue to bond after Sam is killed in a traffic accident and comes back as a spirit. It is really Charlie whose strong love and devotion for his younger brother is realized and you are empathetic when you see them together again.
The promise Charlie made to Sam to practice baseball every day at sunset is symbolic of their relationship as siblings when the latter was alive. When you think of it more closely, It is really Charlie's strong and positive belief in Sam that keeps Sam's spirit going.
When it is threatened by the appearance of a young girl named Tess Carroll (Amanda Crew), Sam fears for his future because he doesn't yet comprehend how the spiritual world works. His lack of knowledge about it instils in him a common fear of the unknown which translates as a common fear of the ordinary human being which he no longer is.
When Charlie learns of Tess's death, it becomes a test of his own faith and belief in himself to read the signs she has left behind and know what he must do.
Charlie Tahan plays Sam as the epitome of child-like innocence when he was alive and as a spirit he continues he continues to be a reminder of what he was like when he was still human. Sam depends on Charlie to keep him alive.
Zac Efron (Me And Orson Welles) embodies the perfect medium to channel his younger brother's spirit. True to the fantasy element of the film, it works as it sends its message of hope and eternity by capturing the importance of remaining positive throughout one's life.
This is what makes Charlie St. Cloud so special. The life and breadth of living together with a strong heart and soul are essential for anyone whether you are young or old. As it becomes part of your character as you grow up, it helps mould it all into positive energy when you stop believing in yourself and others, especially loved ones, that you are in danger of corrupting your life which you don't want to do. It is this Charlie learns when he is faced with a challenge between Sam and Tess, whom he believes is the girl he wants to spend the rest of his life.
Amanda Crew plays Tess in the same positive and relentless state of happiness which emanates throughout the movie, notably by a simple message written down on a plain piece of paper. It tells Charlie something he has to think about if he is going to see her again or, at least, this is what you are told. It also becomes his one chance to overcome the emotions that have controlled him up t this point, and when he finally understands what the message means, it sends to you watching, a strong and triumphant note of passion dictated by one's faith in believing in someone else with the same strong conviction.
By film's end, you have been far removed from the simple existence of reality and uplifted to a higher level of appreciation of life as a positive force that cannot be shaken unless you fail to believe in yourself as a person who can strongly give and share.
It is your unwavering belief in keeping all the positive energy in your heart so others around you can feel it, like Sam whose spirit remained alive through Charlie.
This is truly a remarkable film in a lacklustre summer movie season. I loved Charlie St. Cloud and Cyrus for their positive messages.
Charlie St. Cloud is rated PG, with the warning: language may offend.
August 8, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
In Charlie St. Cloud, Sam says to his older brother, Charlie: You can hear me because you're alive."
What resonates throughout the film is the basic concept of living your life in the present positively and understanding how change can affect it. This is the central theme in Guy Pearce's adaptation of the 2004 best selling novel by Ben Sherwood who is also one of the film's producers.
Burr Steers directs each scene with a touch of poignancy and understanding as you watch this simply told tale of the relationship between two brothers unfold, and there is something so down to earth, it is not hard to identify with the two main characters as they continue to bond after Sam is killed in a traffic accident and comes back as a spirit. It is really Charlie whose strong love and devotion for his younger brother is realized and you are empathetic when you see them together again.
The promise Charlie made to Sam to practice baseball every day at sunset is symbolic of their relationship as siblings when the latter was alive. When you think of it more closely, It is really Charlie's strong and positive belief in Sam that keeps Sam's spirit going.
When it is threatened by the appearance of a young girl named Tess Carroll (Amanda Crew), Sam fears for his future because he doesn't yet comprehend how the spiritual world works. His lack of knowledge about it instils in him a common fear of the unknown which translates as a common fear of the ordinary human being which he no longer is.
When Charlie learns of Tess's death, it becomes a test of his own faith and belief in himself to read the signs she has left behind and know what he must do.
Charlie Tahan plays Sam as the epitome of child-like innocence when he was alive and as a spirit he continues he continues to be a reminder of what he was like when he was still human. Sam depends on Charlie to keep him alive.
Zac Efron (Me And Orson Welles) embodies the perfect medium to channel his younger brother's spirit. True to the fantasy element of the film, it works as it sends its message of hope and eternity by capturing the importance of remaining positive throughout one's life.
This is what makes Charlie St. Cloud so special. The life and breadth of living together with a strong heart and soul are essential for anyone whether you are young or old. As it becomes part of your character as you grow up, it helps mould it all into positive energy when you stop believing in yourself and others, especially loved ones, that you are in danger of corrupting your life which you don't want to do. It is this Charlie learns when he is faced with a challenge between Sam and Tess, whom he believes is the girl he wants to spend the rest of his life.
Amanda Crew plays Tess in the same positive and relentless state of happiness which emanates throughout the movie, notably by a simple message written down on a plain piece of paper. It tells Charlie something he has to think about if he is going to see her again or, at least, this is what you are told. It also becomes his one chance to overcome the emotions that have controlled him up t this point, and when he finally understands what the message means, it sends to you watching, a strong and triumphant note of passion dictated by one's faith in believing in someone else with the same strong conviction.
By film's end, you have been far removed from the simple existence of reality and uplifted to a higher level of appreciation of life as a positive force that cannot be shaken unless you fail to believe in yourself as a person who can strongly give and share.
It is your unwavering belief in keeping all the positive energy in your heart so others around you can feel it, like Sam whose spirit remained alive through Charlie.
This is truly a remarkable film in a lacklustre summer movie season. I loved Charlie St. Cloud and Cyrus for their positive messages.
Charlie St. Cloud is rated PG, with the warning: language may offend.
August 8, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
I AM LOVE (MONGREL MEDIA, 2010)****
By Rick Jackson
Tilda Swinton's beautifully understated performance conveys the mult-layered brilliance of Italian writer/director Luca Guadagnino's I Am Love. There is a certain urgency each member of the Recchi family faces from the first time you meet them. As the film opens, the family is preparing a birthday party for the ailing Edoardo Sr (Gabriele Ferzetti)., the head of the family and their textile manufacturing business. When he announces his retirement, he hands it down to both his son Tancredi (Pippo Delbono) and grandson Edoardo Jr. (Flavio Parenti) because they have worked closely with him. Family loyalty means a lot and there is nothing of the usual animosity and jealousy you might find if this was made in Hollywood.
In their screenplay, Guadagnino, Barbara Alberti,Ivan Cotroneo and Walter Fasano introduce you to the rest of the family, their secrets and ambitions: Edoardo's wife, Emma, a native Russian and her grown children, Gianluca (Mattia Zaccaro) and daughter Elisabetta (Alba Rohrwacher) and Antonio (Eduardo Gabbriellini), a chef and friend of Eduardo Jr.'s.
As you get to know them, you learn that Antonio and Eduardo Jr. plan to open a restaurant together, Elisabetta is a lesbian, and Emma secretly desires to experience what it is like to be a lesbian and a lover to satisfy her sexual repression and needs as a woman. She also unexpectedly falls in love with Antonio which she later tells her husband in a moment of triumph as a proud defender of her sex. Her sexual leanings toward Antonio don't come out until she goes on a trip to Sanremo where they make passionate love.
If all this isn't enough, the family must deal with Eduardo Sr.'s wish to sell the family business during a trip to London.
Cinematographer Yorick Le Saux underscores the superficial problems of the Recchis by using muted colours, while during the outside trips they are much deeper and brighter to symbolize how the bold business moves threaten the family's future. The soft sensual pleasures of the family members are undeniably vivid and brief and, although they are not erotic, they still will exhilarate you by their rapturous pleasures.
The plot in I Am Love plays out like a sophisticated daytime drama that is reminiscent of other Italian directors who have dallied with stories with sexual overtones: Lina Wertmuller (Swept Away) and Bernardo Bertolucci (Last Tango In Paris).
Despite the lack of heat and passion, I Am Love generates within its simplistic storyline a look at the traditions of relationships in general and how changing times and attitudes forced the middle class to adapt to them. Their basic sexual needs have not changed even if our basic human needs for sexual satisfaction have. The film ends on an ambiguous note that is sure to be discussed long after you've left the theatre.
It is rated 18A, with the warnings: nudity and sexual content
August 13, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
Tilda Swinton's beautifully understated performance conveys the mult-layered brilliance of Italian writer/director Luca Guadagnino's I Am Love. There is a certain urgency each member of the Recchi family faces from the first time you meet them. As the film opens, the family is preparing a birthday party for the ailing Edoardo Sr (Gabriele Ferzetti)., the head of the family and their textile manufacturing business. When he announces his retirement, he hands it down to both his son Tancredi (Pippo Delbono) and grandson Edoardo Jr. (Flavio Parenti) because they have worked closely with him. Family loyalty means a lot and there is nothing of the usual animosity and jealousy you might find if this was made in Hollywood.
In their screenplay, Guadagnino, Barbara Alberti,Ivan Cotroneo and Walter Fasano introduce you to the rest of the family, their secrets and ambitions: Edoardo's wife, Emma, a native Russian and her grown children, Gianluca (Mattia Zaccaro) and daughter Elisabetta (Alba Rohrwacher) and Antonio (Eduardo Gabbriellini), a chef and friend of Eduardo Jr.'s.
As you get to know them, you learn that Antonio and Eduardo Jr. plan to open a restaurant together, Elisabetta is a lesbian, and Emma secretly desires to experience what it is like to be a lesbian and a lover to satisfy her sexual repression and needs as a woman. She also unexpectedly falls in love with Antonio which she later tells her husband in a moment of triumph as a proud defender of her sex. Her sexual leanings toward Antonio don't come out until she goes on a trip to Sanremo where they make passionate love.
If all this isn't enough, the family must deal with Eduardo Sr.'s wish to sell the family business during a trip to London.
Cinematographer Yorick Le Saux underscores the superficial problems of the Recchis by using muted colours, while during the outside trips they are much deeper and brighter to symbolize how the bold business moves threaten the family's future. The soft sensual pleasures of the family members are undeniably vivid and brief and, although they are not erotic, they still will exhilarate you by their rapturous pleasures.
The plot in I Am Love plays out like a sophisticated daytime drama that is reminiscent of other Italian directors who have dallied with stories with sexual overtones: Lina Wertmuller (Swept Away) and Bernardo Bertolucci (Last Tango In Paris).
Despite the lack of heat and passion, I Am Love generates within its simplistic storyline a look at the traditions of relationships in general and how changing times and attitudes forced the middle class to adapt to them. Their basic sexual needs have not changed even if our basic human needs for sexual satisfaction have. The film ends on an ambiguous note that is sure to be discussed long after you've left the theatre.
It is rated 18A, with the warnings: nudity and sexual content
August 13, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
CYRUS (FOX SEARCHLIGHT, 2010)****
By Rick Jackson
One of the best times I've had at the movies this summer is Cyrus. It connects with the moviegoer as a life lesson about learning to get along and it is delivered by a fine cast who, admittedly, have all been in better films. Still, the message and the cast make it worth seeing. Written and directed by brothers Mark and Jay Duplass, it focuses on the relationship between the title character (Jonah Hill) and his mother's new boyfriend John (John C. Reilly) which becomes a war of possession over Cyrus' mother Molly (Marisa Tomei). Cyrus puts on an act that his mother falls for too easily because she doesn't want to exert any kind of control over her son. She just doesn't want to know, either.
Hill plays Cyrus as a spoiled child who may have been an accident from an incestuous love affair or an unwanted pregnancy. As you watch Hill react to the environment around him, he is more and more the child who wants desperately to become the focus of attention at all times. When he doesn't, he interrupts the status quo by misbehaving badly for attention.
Tomei portrays Molly with a sense of naivete under her thick skin. She becomes the objet d'art. Unlike the Mona Lisa, her frown instead of a smile symbolizes Molly's pedigree and there is no avoiding the inevitable first impression when you meet her. She is drop dead gorgeous, and Tomei is perfectly cast.
Reilly's boyish charm matches Cyrus as an older version. If you watch how he reacts, he may have been like his stepson when he was his age, maybe worse. The actor knows exactly how to handle him and it works in helping make the film more credible as a definitive film about the dysfunctional family today.
Catherine Keener impresses with her supporting role as John's ex-wife Jamie. She still sees him as a spoiled child all grown up and her short scenes explain the brevity of their relationship when they were married. You can easily discover that she was the more mature half during their marriage. The tomfoolery in the bathroom early in the film says a lot more than any dialogue ever could. John just refuses to grow up.
How the Duplass brothers are able to draw inspiration, perhaps, from a real-life experience speaks volumes and you can't help laugh when the story calls for it.
My favourite sequence is the bar scene in which John starts singing and dancing to the Human League's 1982 #1 hit, "Don't You Watch Me." As you watch Tomei join in with another stanza from the song, it is apparent this is a playful sexual dating trick emphasized by their individual dance moves and how they each express the words by interpreting them sexually and provocatively. It all works and you are left in the same happy mood. Don't be afraid to laugh out loud because there are some funny moments.
Without being overly sentimental, Cyrus is a welcome surprise in a summer mixed with box office hits and misses. It conveys an air of nostalgia in its conception as a matter of innocence and loneliness. What happens is not so much a heavy movie with sexual overtones, but a defining film about relationships. After watching it, you can think back and relax for the simple reason that life's problems are inherent in us as people and until we understand ourselves better we will continue to be like these characters who have difficulty articulating their answers because they just can't right now.
Some of you may identify with one or more of them as it rings truer than the fictional lines drawn here. It is something to think about.
Cyrus is one of the year's movie gems. Don't wait to appreciate it on DVD. You need to see it on the big screen and it's well worth looking for it.
It is rated 14A, with the warning: coarse language.
August 7, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
One of the best times I've had at the movies this summer is Cyrus. It connects with the moviegoer as a life lesson about learning to get along and it is delivered by a fine cast who, admittedly, have all been in better films. Still, the message and the cast make it worth seeing. Written and directed by brothers Mark and Jay Duplass, it focuses on the relationship between the title character (Jonah Hill) and his mother's new boyfriend John (John C. Reilly) which becomes a war of possession over Cyrus' mother Molly (Marisa Tomei). Cyrus puts on an act that his mother falls for too easily because she doesn't want to exert any kind of control over her son. She just doesn't want to know, either.
Hill plays Cyrus as a spoiled child who may have been an accident from an incestuous love affair or an unwanted pregnancy. As you watch Hill react to the environment around him, he is more and more the child who wants desperately to become the focus of attention at all times. When he doesn't, he interrupts the status quo by misbehaving badly for attention.
Tomei portrays Molly with a sense of naivete under her thick skin. She becomes the objet d'art. Unlike the Mona Lisa, her frown instead of a smile symbolizes Molly's pedigree and there is no avoiding the inevitable first impression when you meet her. She is drop dead gorgeous, and Tomei is perfectly cast.
Reilly's boyish charm matches Cyrus as an older version. If you watch how he reacts, he may have been like his stepson when he was his age, maybe worse. The actor knows exactly how to handle him and it works in helping make the film more credible as a definitive film about the dysfunctional family today.
Catherine Keener impresses with her supporting role as John's ex-wife Jamie. She still sees him as a spoiled child all grown up and her short scenes explain the brevity of their relationship when they were married. You can easily discover that she was the more mature half during their marriage. The tomfoolery in the bathroom early in the film says a lot more than any dialogue ever could. John just refuses to grow up.
How the Duplass brothers are able to draw inspiration, perhaps, from a real-life experience speaks volumes and you can't help laugh when the story calls for it.
My favourite sequence is the bar scene in which John starts singing and dancing to the Human League's 1982 #1 hit, "Don't You Watch Me." As you watch Tomei join in with another stanza from the song, it is apparent this is a playful sexual dating trick emphasized by their individual dance moves and how they each express the words by interpreting them sexually and provocatively. It all works and you are left in the same happy mood. Don't be afraid to laugh out loud because there are some funny moments.
Without being overly sentimental, Cyrus is a welcome surprise in a summer mixed with box office hits and misses. It conveys an air of nostalgia in its conception as a matter of innocence and loneliness. What happens is not so much a heavy movie with sexual overtones, but a defining film about relationships. After watching it, you can think back and relax for the simple reason that life's problems are inherent in us as people and until we understand ourselves better we will continue to be like these characters who have difficulty articulating their answers because they just can't right now.
Some of you may identify with one or more of them as it rings truer than the fictional lines drawn here. It is something to think about.
Cyrus is one of the year's movie gems. Don't wait to appreciate it on DVD. You need to see it on the big screen and it's well worth looking for it.
It is rated 14A, with the warning: coarse language.
August 7, 2010
Copyright Rick Jackson 2010
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